Decolonizing the screen through Indigenous Cinema

For as long as cinema has existed, there have been stories with Indigenous themes and characters. But up until recently, very rarely were these stories told from an Indigenous perspective.

But more and more, Indigenous storytellers are decolonizing screens and tearing down stereotypes perpetuated for decades through various forms of media.

Using her feature film Rustic Oracle as a case study, Sonia Bonspille Boileau will discuss the use of fiction to tell the truth and the importance of reclaiming Indigenous narratives to help reshape our collective memory.

Sonia Bonspille Boileau is a bilingual Kanienkeha:ka and Québécois filmmaker who has been working with Nish Media for the past decade to bring Indigenous content to the screen for viewers of all cultural backgrounds. She first started making documentaries to explore her bicultural heritage and understand the impacts of colonialism. Some of her documentary credits include Last Call Indian, The Oka Legacy, Wapikoni, and Skindigenous. In 2015, Sonia wrote and directed her first feature film, Le Dep, which made the official selection of several prestigious festivals around the world. Her second feature film, Rustic Oracle, which was shot in her home community of Kanehsatake, has already received praises on the festival circuit and was just released in theatres. She is currently in preproduction of her first drama series.

This event is part of the Spirituality as Land, Story and Relation series presented by the Department of Theological Studies with the support of the Faculty of Arts and Science. Visit the series page to view the full line-up of speakers for Fall 2020.